Guide to Insurance

Basic Guide to insurance for your community group or charity

Preventing risk is as essential for your charitable organisation as any business. It is ​important that you protect the organisation, the volunteers and the end user. Therefore, ​it is essential that you have an appropriate insurance for your group to go alongside ​your policies and procedures as part of your overall risk mitigation strategy.

Having insurance is not a legal requirement but not having one means you are exposing ​your organisation and others to risk. Protecting your group against risk is a legal duty of ​any trustee and organisation and having an insurance policy is one of the best ways of ​doing this.

The type of policy you choose depends on the needs, activities, assets or premises and ​size of your organisation.

The key to insurance is to research well and be open and honest with your insurer about ​your organisation and what you need insurance for.

Tips

• Ensure the insurer knows what you do and the activities you carry out.
• Update the insurer if your activities or group changes in any way. It’s a good idea to do ​this at regular intervals as often the management of the day to day takes over.
• You must state to your insurer if they cover volunteers.
• Public liability is usually covered as generally groups are dealing with the public or “third ​parties”.
• Research insurance and different companies thoroughly making sure you get the best ​policy for you.
• Make sure you understand the policy thoroughly.
  File policies and documents where appropriate members of your group can access them.
• Ensure the insurance company you chose abides with your ethics and values as an ​organisation.
• Check their environmental and ethical credentials.
• Take legal advice if necessary.
• Ask other organisations who are doing similar activities or contact Community People.

Examples of Insurance companies

Please note this is a constant changing situation and there are many different companies ​who can provide you with insurance. Please do connect with your Community People Community ​Development Team for the latest updates.

• Zurich
• Endsleigh
• Access Insurance Services
• Naturesave (Ethical and not for profit)
• Policybee

You can find further detailed information here:

• Gov.uk information
• Charity Commission Guide on Risk Management
• NCVO Further Information
• NCVO have partnered with Zurich Insurance to provide a guide for charities
• Charity Excellence

For further information on insurance please contact your Community People Community ​Development Team. Please note we are not professionally trained in insurance but ​can advise and signpost to the appropriate contact or organisation.